Market analysis

ALPHA Consult assist private companies (both SMEs and large companies) and institutions in market analysis and forecasts by deploying proven analytical tools and sophisticated methodologies to size markets, analyze market segments and forecast products performance and penetration.

ALPHA Consult’s analyses allow to:

• Gain new and objective insights into core markets dynamics
• React swiftly to “hidden” market trends
• Identify new markets/ niches

ALPHA Consult’s Competitive Environment Assessment is a detailed and industry-specific strategic market intelligence, that guarantees a fact-based interpretation of the environment in which the company operates:

• Underlying drivers: which are the key political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental trends the company is facing/ will face?
• Competitive forces: how do different forces (rivalry among competitors, buying power of buyers and suppliers, threat of new potential entrants) interact in the industry?
• Industry structure: how is the value chain from supplier to consumers structured?
• Customers analysis: what are customers looking for when selecting/ purchasing a specific good? How is the company positioned?
• SWOT Analysis: Strenghts, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats company-wide or by Business Unit

Cost-benefits analysis

The sharp slowdown of the economy makes, now more than ever, critical that spending of funds -both public and private- be closely scrutinised, so as to maximise the return. However, interesting long term investments opportunities are at risk of being salvaged if a short-term view-only is adopted.

ALPHA Consult owns a strong expertise in the evaluation of project feasibility and profitability, being able to estimate the potential benefits and carry out assessments to ensure appropriate, independent and fact-based Cost-Benefits Analysis (CBA) in various sectors.

Business plans and company evaluation

ALPHA Consult owns a long track record of developing business plans able to transform entrepreneurs’ visions into succesful businesses. ALPHA Consult’s business plan services allow companies in achieving all their business goals:

• Increase/ Restructure their business
• Find new sources of capital/ Attract new business partners
• Approach a strategic M&A transaction

Furthermore, based on future growth prospects, ALPHA Consult can help its clients in understanding the value of their firm through independent valuation services, exploiting the most used financial tools and methodologies (DCF, Multiples, EVA®).

Cost reduction / 100 days plan

Following the long slowdown of the world economy, many companies face the challenge to preserve or boost their profit margins in the future by “re-designing” their businesses.

At ALPHA Consult our professionals stand ready to develop a tailored cost reduction programme. Thanks to our own practice-proven cost reduction expertise, we can help companies in identifying target areas, defining a strategy focused on how best to tackle the major cost centers and offer advices to the client’s staff on how this should be done.

ALPHA Consult cost reduction programme consists of four phases:

• Cost Diagnosis: Analysis of cost trends over time to identify major areas of impact
• Deep Dive & opportunities identification: Identification of cost driver-to-value relationships and developing a list of cost-cutting opportunities
• Deployment of solutions: Identification of potential solutions for each cost reduction opportunity
• Solutions prioritization: Definition of key areas to address and implementation of changes
• Cost reduction services are offered on a success fee basis

Cost reduction activites can be performed independently or within a more general restructuring process aimed at obtaining quick wins for the client, the so called “100 Days Plan”.

For further information (in Italian only): Restructuring short 20131206 (ITA).

Business due diligence

Our approach is structured in 4 key modules:

Review of client’s internal data and management interview
At the beginning of the project, ALPHA Consult reviews the data provided by the client and collected during the interviews with the company management, with the sole objective to gather their perspectives on the market dynamics. This will represent only the first step of our work, built through external interviews and analysis.

Review and analysis of published sources
The independent research of market and competitive data is paramount for a robust assessment of the investment. A distinctive element of ALPHA Consult approach is the deep analysis of information and data collected from reliable sources of information. This phase allows a preliminary review of market and competitive findings that we then validate in the course of our “anonymous” external interview program. A sample of the sources that we draw on includes: industry and specialised journals; trade associations report and newsletters; on-line market information databases; company accounts; brokers reports, etc.

External interviews with experts, customers, competitors, distributors and other relevant players in the value chain
ALPHA Consult has the capabilities to carry out in-depth, “anonymous”, senior level interviews all over Europe: our experience shows that this is the best way to obtain unbiased information and views. The issues that we discuss in the course of the interview program generally include: market dynamics; drivers underpinning market trends; expected price and volume forecast; raw material evolution; industry key success factors; competitive positioning (strengths and weaknesses by player) and Target distinctive elements; distribution channels and their expected evolution; purchasing criteria; growth opportunities and threats; plausibility of the business model.

Business Plan assessment and summary of findings
The assessment of the business plan will be made by a thorough analysis of the assumptions applied to prepare the plan, against the market and competitive dynamics. In this module we challenge the management perspectives against the outcome of our independent market and competitive research and analysis. We specifically segment the (volume and price) revenue assumptions by product, by country, by distribution channel, as appropriate. Similarly we go in detail on the raw material and other cost of goods sold and we look at the plan implication on the organizational model and structure. The outcome of this module is our assessment on the sustainability of the operating results foreseen in the plan.

Intangibles evaluation

Our consultants have a long standing expertise in the field of intangibles evaluation, with projects aimed at assessing brands the value of brands and other intangibles since 2003.

In light of this long-term commitment in this area, ALPHA Consult was awarded by the European Commission a 4-years project to monitor the patenting activity in the GNSS domain in Europe and worldwide, identifying key added value brought by patenting activity to leading European aerospace players.

Go to market strategy

Go-to-Market Strategy transforms decisions into action. ALPHA Consult play the role of facilitating and accelerating execution by defining the most appropriate strategy and working with client’s internal teams and resources with an appropriate tailor-made approach.

ALPHA Consult holds the strategic intention to ensure that execution matches the intended strategy and continuously monitors the achievements via pre-selected tracking metrics.

Project management

All the strategic guidelines and inputs (especially when proposing radical changes) could face a period of internal opposition and are at risk of being completely discarded if concrete actions are not undertaken within 2-3 months (start of the “Informed Pessimism” period).

Transition curve

ALPHA Consult can make things happen, supporting its clients in delivering foreseen results via a strong hands-on project management support and continuous monitoring of results.